He is a martyr: Grieving father hails his teenage son who was killed fighting in Syria

Abdullah Deghayes, 18, went to the war-torn country with his younger brother Jafar to join Muslim groups fighting President Assad’s regime.

Their father, Abubaker, 45, said his son was not a terrorist and praised his efforts to “protect” those suffering in the Middle East country.

He also revealed his sons had met with their older brother Amer, 20, who was injured in the battle which killed Abdullah.

Speaking outside his home in Saltdean, near Brighton, Mr ­Deghayes said: “As far as I know he went to Syria, without my consent and without the consent of his mother, to fight against the dictator Bashar Al-Assad and his regime.

“He was killed in a battle with soldiers.

"His brother Amer, who was also there, I know is injured.

"He was shot in the stomach in the same battle.

“I believe he wanted to defend those in threat and those in need of protection or support”

Abdullah's father

“The three brothers were there together – Abdullah, Amer and Jafar, who is 16.

"I never encouraged my sons to go but I believe there was a cause that they strongly ­believed in which drove them to go.

“We are very sad for the loss of Abdullah but I can at least take some comfort from the fact that he went for a just cause to protect those that are killed or dying and need help.

“I think that Abdullah and his brothers are not terrorists because terrorism is the targeting and killing of civilians for any particular reason.

“I believe he wanted to defend those in threat and those in need of protection or support.

"As a Muslim, I believe my son is a martyr.”

When Abubaker discovered his sons had left for Syria he met them in Turkey but failed in a bid to convince them not to go into the ravaged country to fight.

He said he was unsure if his surviving sons would return home as they were “so determined to do something” but insisted there was “no danger at all to the UK from my sons”.